Plans to force new faith schools in England to select more pupils from other religions are to be scrapped.

A voluntary agreement has been reached instead, Education Secretary Alan Johnson says.

The Catholic Church had joined the Church of England in agreeing that up to 25% of places should go to pupils from another faith or none, he said.

The plans were introduced in an amendment to the Education and Inspections Bill last week.

The amendment would have enabled councils to require new faith schools to select up to 25% of their intake from pupils of other faith backgrounds or those with no religious beliefs.

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